Comcast doesn't know its left hand from its right

[Retirednoguilt]

I have a "triple play" plan with xfinity/comcast (TV, internet, "land
line" phone). Recently I lost all internet connectivity (wifi and
ethernet) and couldn't restore it even after rebooting their
modem/router twice. I called their customer service on the land line
phone circuit they provide. As expected, they couldn't find anything
wrong and basically weren't very helpful. My service restored itself as
if by magic a few hours later. The next day I received an e-mail from
them saying that they tried to get in touch with me to get followup on
my problem but couldn't reach me. They requested that I verify my cell
phone number with them.

I've never provided my cell phone number to them and don't intend to. I
use a T-Mobile wireless plan and have no desire to be bombarded with
junk snail mail, e-mail and/or texts from Comcast trying to convince me
to switch.

What I don't understand is why they didn't call me at the land line
number that they certainly know rather than try to make me feel bad that
I've withheld my cell phone number from them. Without my cell phone
number they don't know how to get me on the phone? Their phone line in
my house works fine, without recent outages, and I both received and
made several phone calls since my problem. I've had callers leave voice
mail as well. And, I could even be someone who didn't have a cell
phone. I refuse to believe that they didn't have access to the land
line number I pay them for. Could this be a manifestation of errant AI?

[Big Al]

Post by Retirednoguilt
I have a "triple play" plan with xfinity/comcast (TV, internet, "land
line" phone). Recently I lost all internet connectivity (wifi and
ethernet) and couldn't restore it even after rebooting their
modem/router twice. I called their customer service on the land line
phone circuit they provide. As expected, they couldn't find anything
wrong and basically weren't very helpful. My service restored itself as
if by magic a few hours later. The next day I received an e-mail from
them saying that they tried to get in touch with me to get followup on
my problem but couldn't reach me. They requested that I verify my cell
phone number with them.
I've never provided my cell phone number to them and don't intend to. I
use a T-Mobile wireless plan and have no desire to be bombarded with
junk snail mail, e-mail and/or texts from Comcast trying to convince me
to switch.
What I don't understand is why they didn't call me at the land line
number that they certainly know rather than try to make me feel bad that
I've withheld my cell phone number from them. Without my cell phone
number they don't know how to get me on the phone? Their phone line in
my house works fine, without recent outages, and I both received and
made several phone calls since my problem. I've had callers leave voice
mail as well. And, I could even be someone who didn't have a cell
phone. I refuse to believe that they didn't have access to the land
line number I pay them for. Could this be a manifestation of errant AI?

I always have issues with companies, doctors more than anything else, that I gladly give both land
line and cell # to. A lot of them use the phone for 2FA and some use it as part of the way I can
text them on my cell.

As much as I make sure they note, not that they do, that my land line is preferred, they will
sometimes call the cell. I'm in a valley and cell is poor at best. I do get calls and text, but
the calls drop a lot due to reception, thus I want to use the Comcast land line.

Oh well. I just strike it up as an inept operator or software system. Maybe after you contact
another rep you may get it through to them.

[Retirednoguilt]

Post by Big Al

Post by Retirednoguilt
I have a "triple play" plan with xfinity/comcast (TV, internet, "land
line" phone). Recently I lost all internet connectivity (wifi and
ethernet) and couldn't restore it even after rebooting their
modem/router twice. I called their customer service on the land line
phone circuit they provide. As expected, they couldn't find anything
wrong and basically weren't very helpful. My service restored itself as
if by magic a few hours later. The next day I received an e-mail from
them saying that they tried to get in touch with me to get followup on
my problem but couldn't reach me. They requested that I verify my cell
phone number with them.
I've never provided my cell phone number to them and don't intend to. I
use a T-Mobile wireless plan and have no desire to be bombarded with
junk snail mail, e-mail and/or texts from Comcast trying to convince me
to switch.
What I don't understand is why they didn't call me at the land line
number that they certainly know rather than try to make me feel bad that
I've withheld my cell phone number from them. Without my cell phone
number they don't know how to get me on the phone? Their phone line in
my house works fine, without recent outages, and I both received and
made several phone calls since my problem. I've had callers leave voice
mail as well. And, I could even be someone who didn't have a cell
phone. I refuse to believe that they didn't have access to the land
line number I pay them for. Could this be a manifestation of errant AI?

I always have issues with companies, doctors more than anything else, that I gladly give both land
line and cell # to. A lot of them use the phone for 2FA and some use it as part of the way I can
text them on my cell.
As much as I make sure they note, not that they do, that my land line is preferred, they will
sometimes call the cell. I'm in a valley and cell is poor at best. I do get calls and text, but
the calls drop a lot due to reception, thus I want to use the Comcast land line.
Oh well. I just strike it up as an inept operator or software system. Maybe after you contact
another rep you may get it through to them.

I've been trying for 6+ years to get them to register the land line
number they provide to me as my primary phone. They claim that the only
way they can do that is that to verify my identity by having me
acknowledge a PIN they want to send to my cell phone!! I told them that
I don't have a cell phone and even if I did, it might be with a
different carrier and it wouldn't prove my identity as their customer. I
asked them to send the PIN in a snail mail letter addressed to my
Comcast account's address of record along with the URL of the same web
site they would have me enter the PIN they want to send to my cell
phone. They claim they can't do that. Why not. Because that's not the
way they do it. I'm old enough to remember the old comedy routine with
the punch line "we're the phone company; we can do whatever we want".

[c***@comcast.net]

On Wed, 8 May 2024 13:17:13 -0400, Retirednoguilt

Post by Retirednoguilt

Post by Big Al

Post by Retirednoguilt
I have a "triple play" plan with xfinity/comcast (TV, internet, "land
line" phone). Recently I lost all internet connectivity (wifi and
ethernet) and couldn't restore it even after rebooting their
modem/router twice. I called their customer service on the land line
phone circuit they provide. As expected, they couldn't find anything
wrong and basically weren't very helpful. My service restored itself as
if by magic a few hours later. The next day I received an e-mail from
them saying that they tried to get in touch with me to get followup on
my problem but couldn't reach me. They requested that I verify my cell
phone number with them.
I've never provided my cell phone number to them and don't intend to. I
use a T-Mobile wireless plan and have no desire to be bombarded with
junk snail mail, e-mail and/or texts from Comcast trying to convince me
to switch.
What I don't understand is why they didn't call me at the land line
number that they certainly know rather than try to make me feel bad that
I've withheld my cell phone number from them. Without my cell phone
number they don't know how to get me on the phone? Their phone line in
my house works fine, without recent outages, and I both received and
made several phone calls since my problem. I've had callers leave voice
mail as well. And, I could even be someone who didn't have a cell
phone. I refuse to believe that they didn't have access to the land
line number I pay them for. Could this be a manifestation of errant AI?

I always have issues with companies, doctors more than anything else, that I gladly give both land
line and cell # to. A lot of them use the phone for 2FA and some use it as part of the way I can
text them on my cell.
As much as I make sure they note, not that they do, that my land line is preferred, they will
sometimes call the cell. I'm in a valley and cell is poor at best. I do get calls and text, but
the calls drop a lot due to reception, thus I want to use the Comcast land line.
Oh well. I just strike it up as an inept operator or software system. Maybe after you contact
another rep you may get it through to them.

I've been trying for 6+ years to get them to register the land line
number they provide to me as my primary phone. They claim that the only
way they can do that is that to verify my identity by having me
acknowledge a PIN they want to send to my cell phone!! I told them that
I don't have a cell phone and even if I did, it might be with a
different carrier and it wouldn't prove my identity as their customer. I
asked them to send the PIN in a snail mail letter addressed to my
Comcast account's address of record along with the URL of the same web
site they would have me enter the PIN they want to send to my cell
phone. They claim they can't do that. Why not. Because that's not the
way they do it. I'm old enough to remember the old comedy routine with
the punch line "we're the phone company; we can do whatever we want".

There are scammers that try to take over your account and reek havoc
on your name. Someone would masquerade as you at an Xfinity store and
pick up 5 iPhones and an iPad after they have changed your PIN to
theirs.

So they make it hard to change.

They have my cell number. I get no more than the usual calls for solar
panels, Medicare plans and stuff.

[Retirednoguilt]

Post by c***@comcast.net
On Wed, 8 May 2024 13:17:13 -0400, Retirednoguilt

Post by Retirednoguilt

Post by Big Al

Post by Retirednoguilt
I have a "triple play" plan with xfinity/comcast (TV, internet, "land
line" phone). Recently I lost all internet connectivity (wifi and
ethernet) and couldn't restore it even after rebooting their
modem/router twice. I called their customer service on the land line
phone circuit they provide. As expected, they couldn't find anything
wrong and basically weren't very helpful. My service restored itself as
if by magic a few hours later. The next day I received an e-mail from
them saying that they tried to get in touch with me to get followup on
my problem but couldn't reach me. They requested that I verify my cell
phone number with them.
I've never provided my cell phone number to them and don't intend to. I
use a T-Mobile wireless plan and have no desire to be bombarded with
junk snail mail, e-mail and/or texts from Comcast trying to convince me
to switch.
What I don't understand is why they didn't call me at the land line
number that they certainly know rather than try to make me feel bad that
I've withheld my cell phone number from them. Without my cell phone
number they don't know how to get me on the phone? Their phone line in
my house works fine, without recent outages, and I both received and
made several phone calls since my problem. I've had callers leave voice
mail as well. And, I could even be someone who didn't have a cell
phone. I refuse to believe that they didn't have access to the land
line number I pay them for. Could this be a manifestation of errant AI?

I always have issues with companies, doctors more than anything else, that I gladly give both land
line and cell # to. A lot of them use the phone for 2FA and some use it as part of the way I can
text them on my cell.
As much as I make sure they note, not that they do, that my land line is preferred, they will
sometimes call the cell. I'm in a valley and cell is poor at best. I do get calls and text, but
the calls drop a lot due to reception, thus I want to use the Comcast land line.
Oh well. I just strike it up as an inept operator or software system. Maybe after you contact
another rep you may get it through to them.

I've been trying for 6+ years to get them to register the land line
number they provide to me as my primary phone. They claim that the only
way they can do that is that to verify my identity by having me
acknowledge a PIN they want to send to my cell phone!! I told them that
I don't have a cell phone and even if I did, it might be with a
different carrier and it wouldn't prove my identity as their customer. I
asked them to send the PIN in a snail mail letter addressed to my
Comcast account's address of record along with the URL of the same web
site they would have me enter the PIN they want to send to my cell
phone. They claim they can't do that. Why not. Because that's not the
way they do it. I'm old enough to remember the old comedy routine with
the punch line "we're the phone company; we can do whatever we want".

There are scammers that try to take over your account and reek havoc
on your name. Someone would masquerade as you at an Xfinity store and
pick up 5 iPhones and an iPad after they have changed your PIN to
theirs.
So they make it hard to change.
They have my cell number. I get no more than the usual calls for solar
panels, Medicare plans and stuff.

And why is it more secure for them to text a PIN to a cell phone number
for which they cannot verify account ownership (unless their company is
the one providing the wireless service account) than to snail mail the
PIN to my address of record where they mail my bills which I always pay
on time? Apparently mailing PINs is secure enough for the credit
reporting companies who mail the PINs for unlocking credit reports that
have been frozen.

[Adam H. Kerman]

Post by c***@comcast.net

. . .

There are scammers that try to take over your account and reek havoc
on your name. Someone would masquerade as you at an Xfinity store and
pick up 5 iPhones and an iPad after they have changed your PIN to
theirs.
So they make it hard to change.

And for that very reason, it's best not to link the same cell phone number
to every single account that demands it.

Post by c***@comcast.net
They have my cell number. I get no more than the usual calls for solar
panels, Medicare plans and stuff.

The issue is how many accounts of yours can they compromise simply by
giving them your cell phone number.

[Retirednoguilt]

Post by Adam H. Kerman

Post by c***@comcast.net

. . .

There are scammers that try to take over your account and reek havoc
on your name. Someone would masquerade as you at an Xfinity store and
pick up 5 iPhones and an iPad after they have changed your PIN to
theirs.
So they make it hard to change.

And for that very reason, it's best not to link the same cell phone number
to every single account that demands it.

Post by c***@comcast.net
They have my cell number. I get no more than the usual calls for solar
panels, Medicare plans and stuff.

The issue is how many accounts of yours can they compromise simply by
giving them your cell phone number.

I know I find long threads difficult when it comes to correctly
identifying who wrote which text; especially when we interpose our
comments among others. Just want to say that I did NOT write any of the
text that ***@comcast.net attributes to me in the above
contribution to this thread and which was further promulgated by Adam H.
Kerman.

[Adam H. Kerman]

Post by Retirednoguilt

Post by Adam H. Kerman

Post by c***@comcast.net

. . .

There are scammers that try to take over your account and reek havoc
on your name. Someone would masquerade as you at an Xfinity store and
pick up 5 iPhones and an iPad after they have changed your PIN to
theirs.
So they make it hard to change.

And for that very reason, it's best not to link the same cell phone number
to every single account that demands it.

Post by c***@comcast.net
They have my cell number. I get no more than the usual calls for solar
panels, Medicare plans and stuff.

The issue is how many accounts of yours can they compromise simply by
giving them your cell phone number.

I know I find long threads difficult when it comes to correctly
identifying who wrote which text; especially when we interpose our
comments among others. Just want to say that I did NOT write any of the

The hell you didn't. I took the time to review cable_shill's followups
to your articles. He used correct attributions and quoting levels. You
owe him an apology.

Post by Retirednoguilt
in the above contribution to this thread and which was further promulgated
by Adam H. Kerman.

I'm the one who retained an attribution line despite having excised the
associated quote. That was my error, not cable_shill's.

You're wrong.

[Retirednoguilt]

Post by Adam H. Kerman

Post by Retirednoguilt

Post by Adam H. Kerman

Post by c***@comcast.net

. . .

There are scammers that try to take over your account and reek havoc
on your name. Someone would masquerade as you at an Xfinity store and
pick up 5 iPhones and an iPad after they have changed your PIN to
theirs.
So they make it hard to change.

And for that very reason, it's best not to link the same cell phone number
to every single account that demands it.

Post by c***@comcast.net
They have my cell number. I get no more than the usual calls for solar
panels, Medicare plans and stuff.

The issue is how many accounts of yours can they compromise simply by
giving them your cell phone number.

I know I find long threads difficult when it comes to correctly
identifying who wrote which text; especially when we interpose our
comments among others. Just want to say that I did NOT write any of the

The hell you didn't. I took the time to review cable_shill's followups
to your articles. He used correct attributions and quoting levels. You
owe him an apology.

Post by Retirednoguilt
in the above contribution to this thread and which was further promulgated
by Adam H. Kerman.

I'm the one who retained an attribution line despite having excised the
associated quote. That was my error, not cable_shill's.
You're wrong.

I really don't give a hoot what anyone says. I know what I said and
what I didn't say. This nonsense is a total waste of my time.

[Adam H. Kerman]

Post by Retirednoguilt

Post by Adam H. Kerman

Post by Retirednoguilt

Post by Adam H. Kerman

Post by c***@comcast.net

. . .

There are scammers that try to take over your account and reek havoc
on your name. Someone would masquerade as you at an Xfinity store and
pick up 5 iPhones and an iPad after they have changed your PIN to
theirs.
So they make it hard to change.

And for that very reason, it's best not to link the same cell phone number
to every single account that demands it.

Post by c***@comcast.net
They have my cell number. I get no more than the usual calls for solar
panels, Medicare plans and stuff.

The issue is how many accounts of yours can they compromise simply by
giving them your cell phone number.

I know I find long threads difficult when it comes to correctly
identifying who wrote which text; especially when we interpose our
comments among others. Just want to say that I did NOT write any of the

The hell you didn't. I took the time to review cable_shill's followups
to your articles. He used correct attributions and quoting levels. You
owe him an apology.

Post by Retirednoguilt
in the above contribution to this thread and which was further promulgated
by Adam H. Kerman.

I'm the one who retained an attribution line despite having excised the
associated quote. That was my error, not cable_shill's.
You're wrong.

I really don't give a hoot what anyone says.

Clearly not when it comes to owning up to having made a false accusation.

Post by Retirednoguilt
I know what I said and what I didn't say. This nonsense is a total
waste of my time.

You went out of your way to accuse cable_shill who did you no harm. I
made an error by retaining an attribution line having cut the associated
quote.

You're wrong.

Now, I admitted my error. It wouldn't have been a waste of time for you
to man up, admit the error you made, withdraw the false accusation, and
apologize. Instead, you chose to compound your error, making things
worse.

Don't man up then. You do you instead.

[Char Jackson]

Post by Big Al
I always have issues with companies, doctors more than anything else, that I gladly give both land
line and cell # to. A lot of them use the phone for 2FA and some use it as part of the way I can
text them on my cell.
As much as I make sure they note, not that they do, that my land line is preferred, they will
sometimes call the cell. I'm in a valley and cell is poor at best. I do get calls and text, but
the calls drop a lot due to reception, thus I want to use the Comcast land line.

If you have WiFi available at the location in the valley, and if your phone has
the capability to switch to that WiFi, then it won't matter a whole lot how good
or bad your cellular service is, since the phone will automatically switch to
WiFi when you get close to that location.

I have poor cell service at my house, but I have great WiFi. My phone, a Samsung
S20FE, auto-switches to WiFi, including for calls, when it notices that I'm at
home.

Post by Big Al
Oh well. I just strike it up as an inept operator or software system. Maybe after you contact
another rep you may get it through to them.

[Big Al]

Post by Char Jackson

Post by Big Al
I always have issues with companies, doctors more than anything else, that I gladly give both land
line and cell # to. A lot of them use the phone for 2FA and some use it as part of the way I can
text them on my cell.
As much as I make sure they note, not that they do, that my land line is preferred, they will
sometimes call the cell. I'm in a valley and cell is poor at best. I do get calls and text, but
the calls drop a lot due to reception, thus I want to use the Comcast land line.

If you have WiFi available at the location in the valley, and if your phone has
the capability to switch to that WiFi, then it won't matter a whole lot how good
or bad your cellular service is, since the phone will automatically switch to
WiFi when you get close to that location.
I have poor cell service at my house, but I have great WiFi. My phone, a Samsung
S20FE, auto-switches to WiFi, including for calls, when it notices that I'm at
home.

Post by Big Al
Oh well. I just strike it up as an inept operator or software system. Maybe after you contact
another rep you may get it through to them.

Yes, I have that going on too. So probably why I have no issues with text and the spam calls. You
know the spam would get through no matter what! 😀

[Adam H. Kerman]

Post by Retirednoguilt
I have a "triple play" plan with xfinity/comcast (TV, internet, "land
line" phone). Recently I lost all internet connectivity (wifi and
ethernet) and couldn't restore it even after rebooting their
modem/router twice. I called their customer service on the land line
phone circuit they provide. As expected, they couldn't find anything
wrong and basically weren't very helpful. My service restored itself as
if by magic a few hours later. The next day I received an e-mail from
them saying that they tried to get in touch with me to get followup on
my problem but couldn't reach me. They requested that I verify my cell
phone number with them.

Yeah. I got the same automated complaint because I won't receive
automated text message communications on a cell phone. They could have
sent the same message in email, which they have.

When I called customer service and actually reached a human being, she
insisted I could receive SMS on the Comcast phone. I was not aware of
that but the system didn't attempt to send the SMS to that phone anyway.

Post by Retirednoguilt
. . .